Best portable power stations in 2026: picks by size and use

We haven’t tested these units in our own hands. We picked them from what the makers publish and what they charge: every model here has a current-generation LFP battery, a published cycle rating, and specs we could confirm on the maker’s US product page (or, for the RIVER 3 Plus, a major retailer’s listing). Prices were checked on 4 November 2026 and change often.

Our picks at a glance

Pick	Capacity	AC output	Price (list, Nov 2026)
Small and light: EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus	286 Wh	600 W	Check current price
Best value 1 kWh: Jackery Explorer 1000 v2	1,024 Wh	1,500 W	$589 ($509 on sale)
Most output 1 kWh: Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2	1,024 Wh	2,000 W	$699.99
1 kWh that grows: EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus	1,024 Wh	1,800 W	$799 ($719 on sale)
2 kWh: EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus	2,048 Wh	3,000 W	$1,599 ($1,149 on sale)
Whole home: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 or Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus	4,096 or 5,040 Wh	4,000 or 7,200 W	Check current price

Small and light: EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus

A unit this size is for phones, laptops, camera batteries, string lights and, at a stretch, a CPAP machine for a night without its heated humidifier. The RIVER 3 Plus stores 286 Wh and puts out 600 W, twice the 300 W of Jackery’s similar-sized Explorer 300 v2. It can also take an extra battery to reach 858 Wh, which few small units offer.

At this size, don’t expect to run a fridge for long or anything with a heating element. If outages are your main worry, skip straight to the 1 kWh class.

Best value at 1 kWh: Jackery Explorer 1000 v2

A 1 kWh power station is the size most households should start with. It runs a typical fridge for roughly half a day to most of a day, or a router and laptop through a working day.

The Explorer 1000 v2 gets you there for the least money among the big brands: $589 list and $509 on sale at the time of writing. It has 1,024 Wh of LFP storage, 1,500 W of output, and a 50-minute emergency charge mode from the wall. Jackery’s warranty is five years when you buy direct (three standard plus two extra, added automatically).

What you give up: it can’t take extra batteries, and its 1,500 W won’t run a larger microwave or a kettle.

Most output at 1 kWh: Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2

For the same 1,024 Wh, the C1000 Gen 2 puts out 2,000 W (3,000 W peak), enough for most kitchen appliances and power tools. Anker quotes a full recharge in 49 minutes at 1,600 W from the wall, up to 600 W of solar input, and a UPS switchover of under 10 ms, which is quick enough for desktop computers and network gear. The battery is rated to keep at least 80% of its capacity after 4,000 cycles.

At $699.99 it costs more than the Jackery. Pay the difference if you’ll run high-wattage appliances or want UPS protection for a computer.

The 1 kWh that grows: EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus

The DELTA 3 Plus has the same 1,024 Wh, 1,800 W of output (3,600 W surge), a 56-minute wall charge and a UPS switchover of under 10 ms. Its advantage is expansion: add EcoFlow extra batteries and it reaches about 5 kWh. That makes it the one to choose if you think you’ll want a day or more of backup later but don’t want to pay for it now. EcoFlow’s warranty is five years.

For a closer look at how it compares with Jackery, see our EcoFlow vs Jackery comparison.

2 kWh: EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus

At 2 kWh you can get through a night with the fridge, lights and Wi-Fi, or run a job site. The DELTA 3 Max Plus stores 2,048 Wh and puts out 3,000 W (6,000 W surge), more than most 2 kWh rivals. EcoFlow quotes a 10 ms switchover for the DELTA 3 Max series, and the system expands from 2 to 10 kWh with extra batteries.

Its list price is $1,599, but EcoFlow had it at $1,149 at the time of writing, which is what makes it our pick. At full price, Jackery’s Explorer 2000 v2 (2,042 Wh, 2,200 W) is worth comparing.

Whole home: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 or Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus

These are for backing up house circuits, including 240 V appliances such as a well pump, through a transfer switch fitted by an electrician.

• EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3: 4,096 Wh and 4,000 W at 120/240 V, expandable to 12 kWh per unit and up to 48 kWh as a system, with an IP65-rated battery pack and a 10 ms UPS. Better if you want to start smaller and add batteries over time.
• Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus: 5,040 Wh and 7,200 W at 120/240 V in one unit. Better if you want the most capacity and output from a single box.

At this level, compare them with an installed home battery too. Our guide to home battery backup covers the trade-offs.

What each size will run

Rough runtimes, assuming about 85% of the rated capacity reaches your appliances:

Size	Router (12 W)	CPAP, no humidifier (40 W)	Fridge (about 1.5 kWh a day)
300 Wh	about 20 hours	about 6 hours	about 4 hours
1 kWh	about 3 days	about 2 to 3 nights	about 14 hours
2 kWh	about 6 days	about 5 nights	about 1 day

For your own appliances, the power station finder does the sums.

What to look for

• Capacity (Wh) decides how long things run. Output (W) decides what can run at all. A kettle needs 1,500 to 3,000 W for a few minutes; a router needs about 12 W all day.
• LFP (LiFePO4) batteries. They last thousands of cycles and are more resistant to overheating than older chemistries. All our picks use them.
• Surge rating. Fridges, pumps and power tools draw a brief spike at start-up.
• UPS switchover. Under 10 ms protects computers. Around 20 ms is fine for most other things.
• Recharge speed and solar input. Under an hour from the wall is now common at 1 kWh. Solar input of 400 to 1,000 W lets you recharge from panels in a day of good sun.
• Expansion. If you might want more runtime later, buy a model that takes extra batteries now.
• Warranty. Five years is standard from the big brands, sometimes only when you buy direct or register the unit.

If you plan to pair one with panels for outages, read our guide to solar generators for home backup.